Ideas, information and industry news for collegiate retailers

Articles tagged "College-retail"

College stores are caught between two worlds: education and retail. Maintaining retails sales is imperative to the success of the business, but so is being a part of the campus community and building student trust. Finding balance between the two can be a challenge, but one way to accomplish this is to rebrand your college store as a retail destination — a place students want to be and spend time. Making small changes to the store environment can make the space more inviting to students and encourage them to spend more time within your walls.

Admit it: It’s an enticing thought. A visit to the grocery store completely absent of all the usual irritations: customers clogging the Express Lane with — oops! — at least 40 items. Slow-movers fumbling through self-check-out. Grim cashiers shoving your heaviest items into a single bag that splits open before you reach the car. Amazon has nixed nearly all the pain-points we associate with shopping in a single swoop with the opening of its check-out free convenience store. It might seem like another dreaded retail disruptor. But how can it not inspire a shiver of excitement?

Earlier this fall, Kate Weinand with the University of Mary Bookstore came to Columbia, Missouri, to attend the MBS Systems Training Fall Forums event. Over the course of a few days, attendees are able to network with individuals from other stores and learn more about the capabilities of their MBS system. We sat down with Ms. Weinand to hear more about the University of Mary Bookstore and its new location.

December is to shopping what Halloween is to candy. While it is a busy season for college stores, it is also the perfect time to take advantage of the shopping spirit and run a holiday sale. That’s why we have compiled some last-minute holiday promotion ideas to increase foot traffic in your store.

The Christmas creep is upon us. The term was coined in the 1980s and refers to the holiday shopping season that begins earlier and earlier each year. This year is no exception. Almost as soon as Halloween ended, Christmas was making its way onto the shelves of most retail stores — and into consumer consciousness. The Black Friday mentality is evolving to a month-long event rather than a day of intense shopping. With online sales expecting a major boost, what’s in store for brick-and-mortar retail this holiday season? How can college stores capitalize on the forecasted trends?

What’s the biggest retail shopping day of the year? It’s not Black Friday. Actually, December 23rd and Super Saturday (the last Saturday before Christmas) have replaced Black Friday as the busiest shopping days of the year, but that doesn’t take away from the fact that the entire holiday season from Thanksgiving through the New Year is primed with shoppers who are ready to spend their money on bargains. But, how can college stores take advantage of this annual gluttony of consumerism?

Consider this: How many students coming into your store resemble the models and mannequins used to sell your spirit wear? If your customers are like the bulk of Americans, then most do not. If they’re anything like most college students nationwide, they’re also highly vulnerable to eating disorders.

You are five minutes late to meet a friend, but you also have to pick up a couple things before the store closes. You rush inside the store, hoping to get in and out quickly. Immediately you are greeted by rows of overstuffed shelves with more merchandise that you can take in at a glance. You scan the store looking for someone to help you or a sign pointing you in the way you need to go. You only see flashy, red sale signage and uninterested faces. Already late, you squeeze your way through the aisles searching for the few things that you needed to pick up. Your phone rings. It’s your friend asking where you are. You shove the items you managed to find onto the shelves and leave because you don’t have time to deal with it right now.

With MBS Systems’ free Training Fall Forums fast approaching, so is your opportunity to trade course materials wisdom with other adventurers at the cutting edge of college retail. Register now on your choice of dates: Oct. 3-5 or Oct. 31-Nov. 2.

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As MBS’ signature publication, Foreword Online is dedicated to offering daily industry insight and cutting-edge news that keep college retailers ahead of the curve. Follow us on social media. Contact us with ideas and feedback. Subscribe for regular updates.